Authorities ordered limits on crowds at the event, which attracted 820,000 visitors at its last installment in 2018. Employees walked through the cavernous exhibition center carrying signs that said, “Be Sure to Wear Masks.”
Electrics increasingly offer speeds and acceleration to rival gasoline engines in an effort to make the technology a mainstream product. Some promise ranges of up to 600 kilometers , or more than the average tank of gasoline, to combat “range anxiety,” or consumers’ fear of running out of power. “We need to adapt to the Chinese market,” said CEO Makoto Uchida in a news conference conducted by video link from Nissan’s Yokohama, Japan, headquarters.Uchida said China is a key part of an effort underway to return Nissan to profit after it reported a $6.2 billion loss for the year ending in March.
BMW displayed its iX3 electric SUV, which Goller said will be produced at a factory in China’s northeast for sale worldwide. The company also held the global debut of its M3 sedan and M4 coupe, reflecting the growing importance of China’s luxury market. Geely Auto, Xiaopeng state-owned Shanghai Automotive Industries Corp. displayed models that all promise more than 500 kilometers on one charge.
Chinese brands also are pressing ahead with plans to export to developed markets despite weak U.S. and European demand.